Thread: Matricula cards help launder $22 Billion in drug money.

PARTIAL TRANSLATION FROM:
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2008/03/01/i ... e=012n1pol


According to a report from the U.S. government,in the last five years, the Mexican drug cartels have achieved "to repatriate" to Mexico 22 Billion dollars, by means of transactions in the financial system and by conduit of the companies that the migrants use for their remittances.

The 2008 report of the International Narcotics Control Strategy, of the American State Department, notifies that Mexico is one of the jurisdictions that more challenges represent for the authorities of the neighboring northern country (U.S.) regarding money laundering, since by Mexico's northern border they pass dollar cargos from the sale of drugs in the United States.

It stands out that, besides utilizing sophisticated traditional financial system, of banks and exchange stores, the drug-traffickers have responded to a new tactic: to use the companies specialized in remittances, to launder money.

Matricula Consular

It is easier to disguise the illicit origin of money shipments, as if were remittances, since migrants should only present their matricula consular as identification, to summarize the shipment of dollars to their relatives in Mexico, without the need to open a bank account.

"This makes lawful remittances more accessible, but also leaves open the potential for money laundering of groups of organized crime."

According to the report, it is estimated that from 2003 to this date, the bosses of drug trafficking managed to introduce to Mexico 22 billion dollars, product of the sale of drugs in the United States.

Experience speaks from this person: The banks in Mexico are corrupt as a part of the Gov't.

The greatest is their central national bank. I had a HORRIBLE experience in getting necessary funds that were being placed in an account that was set up for me while I was there. It took 4 months to get the funds replaced. Whether anyone was prosecuted, I don't know. My term there ended with the school year in 2007 and we returned home immediately.

Matricula Consular card linked to drug cartel money laundering.

Mexican Consulates issue Matricula Consular cards.
So is there a link between Mexican Consulates and Mexican drug cartels?????????

My understanding is that the definition of "money lanudering" has been broadly expanded in the last decade, mainly as a result of USDOJ efforts to rein in Mafia, Cosa Nostra and other organized crime. The essence of money laundering is that illegitimate profits APPEAR to come from a legitimate business. Since assisting illegal immigration was named as a predicate offense in the 1996 revision of the RICO Act there would be a lot of cash transfers that could be construed as money laundering. Right?
http://law.jrank.org/pages/12397/RICO.html

I think ther are some major institutions in our society that have gotten pretty deep, if this is the case...

Section 1961 of RICO lists many criminal offenses that fall under the definition of racketeering activity. Some of these include murder, kidnapping, illegal gambling, arson (intentionally setting a fire), robbery, bribery (promising a person money or a favor in return for certain action), extortion (threatening harm if one does not comply with a crime group's request or plan), dealing in obscene matter (pornography), smuggling aliens (moving illegal immigrants across the nation's borders); counterfeiting, embezzlement (to secretly steal money or property for one's own use), mail fraud (fake offers through the mail between different states), obstructing criminal investigations, prostitution, sexual exploitation of children, theft, drug trafficking, and money laundering.